


Tip'n'Tap

by meiqis



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, M/M, Starbucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-17
Updated: 2018-10-17
Packaged: 2019-08-03 08:23:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16322678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meiqis/pseuds/meiqis
Summary: Young and rising CEO Zhu Zhengting didn't like it when his father decided to rent the ground floor of his office building to Starbucks, for more than just one reason.Zhengting promised to himself to never put a foot there, yet on several occasions he found himself entering the shop, except a certain barista seemed to become more interesting than any coffee order ever could, and was way more addicting on top.Or: the one where Zhengting sugar daddies Starbucks barista Yanjun





	Tip'n'Tap

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this lovely cc](https://curiouscat.me/dadting/post/657814730), [this one](https://curiouscat.me/dadting/post/658476215) and Gems' undying support of my ideas
> 
> I anticipated this to be 15k but look at this... what a mess.... a new record... hope y'all don't die reading! have fun!

There were two things Zhengting hated in his current way of living, one were hour-long meetings that could be so easily avoided if only people finally started listening to him, sometimes making him think it would be all the easier if he were a woman and could charm those old geezers sitting in the chair opposite him, insisting they were right and their words justified, daring to talk down to him only to regret it a while later when he actually managed to crush their businesses or make them part of his, proving there was more than just reason behind his father having pretty much retired already, but then he remembered that being a woman of his age and in this position would be impossible, no one would take him serious no matter his skill and he was aware of that, so all he could do was ditch the route of flirting his way into success to instead rely on his sharp tongue, turning in his chair while listening to grandpas blabbering on as if it were all that interesting when it really wasn’t anything but their egos talking.  
The other thing was the Starbucks subsidiary that had opened up only some weeks ago on the ground level of their company building, before there had been an independent coffee shop and surely he had been more than satisfied with that one, mostly occupied by the employees it had been a perfect place to rest and reset, none of them would bother him because they all knew his face, he’d get to read a book or the newspaper calmly, get his coffee, and, to top it off, since he was basically the boss, they had even delivered to his office without his needing to send Zhangjing down.  
Obviously, there were a dozen more delightful things to hear than “Son, there will be a Starbucks branch opening up instead of Nine’s, I hope you can watch over the renovation well and make sure nothing grand happens” when sitting with his father at dinner, though, in that moment he had even thought about how maybe a hitman targeting him might be better news than hearing about this new shop in his office building, and from then it had only gone downwards.  
His father was a cunning man, he had needed to learn that somewhere, after all, so the old lady owning Nine’s previously retiring couldn’t have possibly another reason for the franchise to collaborate with them and the answer, not said by his father but definitely there, had come to him once he saw the groups of students flocking to the branch, only a few streets away from campus and not as occupied as the one right in front of the university, it was usually less visited, especially when considering how, now that there was a take out option, the employees of his company seemed to be more willing to just hop in, get their coffee, and then get back to their work stations in an instant.  
On the point of work morale increasing he would agree, but his own was only pulled down further and further, he was aware what his old man had intended, had hoped for the students and young people being around to make him more lively again, because it had been something his parents and his sister had been worried about ever since that cursed day, the way he had retreated from his peers, the way he hadn’t attended university ever since the day he got his lower degree, saying he could still achieve a higher one later on but work experience was more important to him, now he was hanging out with businessmen, heads of management and partners, possible investors or new creators, and at least his sister had stopped passing by his room at night to tell him he should cheer up again because his cold ways were worrying them, but that might have been faulted to his moving out of their family house to get his own place instead.  
Maybe she had given up, maybe the whole of his family had given up, they weren’t telling him anymore to smile more often, to be a bit more bright, no, instead he was talking business with his father while they would prepare their weekly family dinner, he was talking about new designer wear with his mother, was discussing his sister’s life with her, and always again and again he was dodging the questions concerning him because, honestly, his life was dull, it was boring, it was all about business and getting the company to run well despite his young age, and to constantly be reminded of what he had decided to ditch, the happy laughters as he studied with his friends, the meeting at the coffeeshops to discuss classes only to talk about other things, the doing things appropriate for his age, only caused him to feel a heavy pang of pain in his heart and his stomach twisting with telltale signs of sickness.  
“Zhengting,” a voice called him out of his thoughts, unknowingly he had stopped in his tracks, stared at the green mermaid simply and for so long that Zhangjing had caught up with him, one arm securing a stack of material while his other hand held the bag his two dogs were sitting in, the only comfort he had in this dull and dry life now that even Nine’s was taken from him. “Your meeting starts in five and we still need to get up. I already had Nongnong prepare your materials in the conference room so you just need to go there and I’ll be on on call whenever you need me.”  
While his assistant was still briefing him on everything, they had already made their way towards the VIP elevator, the higher ranked one aware enough to swipe his card on the pad since the older had his hands filled as he replied, “They won’t get to start the meeting without me anyways. Bring the dogs in and then get me a coffee, will you? And prepare the materials for the meeting in the evening, tell the creators I won’t even give them time to talk if they didn’t prepare their handouts and presentations this time around. I don’t want to have another person drawing on a chalkboard again.”  
Because, right, there was still thing number one on his list of things he hated and surely, he had no idea how he’d even manage to go by in this job if he didn’t have Zhangjing by his side. Except maybe he regretted it twenty minutes later when a paper cup with the mermaid symbol was placed in front of him and he didn’t even spare it a glance when pushing it off to the manager next to him who was way too used to that habit of his already, dreading to have to bear at least another two hours with not the least bit of caffeine in his system at all. 

It was probably kind of funny how he always said he hated that Starbucks branch occupying his ground floor so much, because, honestly, he did, it brought up nothing but bad memories, except they weren’t bad per se, it was just that they carried a meaning with them that was only going to hurt him if he decided to indulge them, hurt him and all the people he had abandoned before over his selfish wish to hole himself up at a certain point in his life, in a way it had felt unfair, to think that a shop he connected so many memories with, so many people he left behind, was now within reach, as if crossing the border of his company’s to another’s ground was like even deeper betrayal towards them, and despite all that, way past sunset on a Saturday he found himself standing in front of the checkout of the very same coffeeshop, finding his own machine broken down and Zhangjing long since having gone home to get his well deserved weekend finally.  
Around him there was only the chatter of students or other young people, a couple here and there, it was bothersome, loud and annoying, it distracted him from being able to read the report he had open on his tablet about an investment concerning one of the groups he had bought a while ago, all about shipping and trading and he already cursed that the manager in charge had taken some days off because of a family whatever and was now out of reach, and while he was still cursing that geezer in his mind, he managed to rattle down an order he had memorized from years ago still and handed his card over without even listening to the girl handling the transaction, see if she could dare offend him when he had more than enough of a say in their staying around with this branch.  
Although, even if she had said anything, he didn’t bother to react to it, too focused on reading the report and checking with the additional information on the company Zhangjing had handed him before, able to fill in most of the loopholes created in his mind while he still reminded himself to note down yet another question he had come up with - because, why the heck, were they even involved with an entertainment business? - while he headed to the end of the bar, waiting for his drink to arrive there as he marked the according part in the document and went on reading, a task that only seemed to be becoming harder by the minute with the lack of caffeine in his blood.  
“And double vanilla and caramel toffee macchiato with an extra shot for the boss,” a voice suddenly called him out of his reading, much to his dislike because he had finally gotten the hang of it but the thought of espresso and sugar all in one was making perfectly up for it, at least until the words registered and he looked up, eyebrows drawn together before he even realized and… god, he wished he hadn’t.  
Right there in front of him, holding his paper cup of coffee, was a startling handsome man with perfectly gold skin and deep dimples and there was the sudden urge to just slam that hot beverage into the man’s face whose grin seemed to falter - served him right - as he looked a bit confused instead, and Zhengting had to will that smooth voice to sound like some raspy old smoker in his mind just so he wouldn’t gag hearing it as the barista went on, “Aren’t you the boss? Zhangjing usually is the only one ordering it, saying it’s for the CE-”  
The stranger doesn’t even manage to finish as said CEO already managed to pass the doors several meters down, back to what he’d call homeground because this was indeed the smooth gray tiles of the welcoming entrance hall that would usually be guarded by security but with everyone having long since gone home, there was only some residual light coming from some lamps around the elevators still being turned on, the air cool and lacking the overwhelming scent of freshly ground coffee and beans, it was devoid of all such scents even though the shop was just a few feet behind him but it was welcoming, because the business world was lacking all these things too, it was, after all, a dull and cold world of talking stocks and trades and there was no fun in it save for the expensive food and drinks and he had gotten his ass fondled more often than these old geezers would like to admit but it was still calming, because this was something he could handle, calculate, act upon.  
Only belatedly he realized he had left behind his coffee but just thinking of that bright grin and slender hand was turning his stomach upside down, entirely eradicating his desire for coffee and along with it the want to read this darn file he still had open and projected on his tablet screen, enough so to make him consider just heading home himself but then he’d be alone with his thoughts all over again and… No, he’d rather force his way through this report instead.

This, he considered, really wasn’t his week, meetings taking too long, working overtime - as much as a CEO could work overtime - and having to attend so many business dinners he felt like his jaw was ready to fall off every night he came home, sore from smiling so widely and talking so much, as if he could never escape the state of alcohol induced fatigue in the mornings, Zhangjing had fallen victim to the flu and who even caught the flu in summer, his dogs had eaten something bad off the streets and made his home a mess and now, now that he finally had thought he’d get to at least enjoy a night off because he had already spent the whole of this holiday in the office as possibly the sole person around, save that darned Starbucks brunch, he was cockblocked by the weather, trapped by rain strong enough to cause a disturbance in traffic so his driver would take eternity, the taxi hotline had insisted they were overbooked, and he was standing outside the company building and could do nothing but wait. It really wasn’t fair.  
With a sigh he let his knees buckle, crouching down on the ground where it was still dry, his bag hugged tightly to his chest, because his legs were tired from standing around, holding none of the strength he had once been used to, none of the strength that came from moving all day, hours over hours, until his muscles were burning and he was covered in sweat, now he could only be covered in rain, carried over by the wind, past the protruding roof and hitting him as he hadn’t paid attention and regardless of that he didn’t move, didn’t have it in himself to move anymore because he felt too drained of all energy.  
“I’m getting old…” He muttered silently, more to himself than… well… there wasn’t even anyone around so he might as well wallow in self-pity, in the exhaustion that came from overworking himself to the point he was too tired to even care about being overworked because he just wanted to sleep, there was nothing of that vigor his mother had once praised him for, now it was all just routine and getting things done, no motivation to do it eagerly, to put his heart into it, as long as the results he desired and the company needed were achieved, it was all good and well, he didn’t need to be proud of himself or the way he got to the finish line; not anymore.  
Slightly he felt his phone vibrate in his bag, probably Zhangjing, asking whether he was home yet, telling him to eat, all this and all that because the older was like a worried mother hen, but with the position he was in now, the way he was hugging himself tightly and saving warmth, he considered it too much of a hassle to move so much as to pull out his phone, he didn’t insist on doing that even if it were his driver because he just wanted to wait, sit still and wait for someone to take him home so he could curl up in bed and just pass out, relish that the next day he would be able to sleep in a bit and hoping his dogs weren’t feeling sick again.  
His assistant must have been used to it already, too much accustomed to the fact he wouldn’t reply now, something that was quite different to his studious school and university days, when he had replied to all the messages of study groups, friends, heck, there even had been some fangirls amongst those people he wrote with because he had considered it entertaining to flirt around with them, but right this moment he couldn’t imagine anything more dreading than having to answer the buzz of messages that had come in, instead it was rather oddly soothing to just protect himself from the chill that was the evening breeze and the gushes of rain that hit him whenever carried over, he felt the light moisture seeping through the thinner fabrics of his clothes, heard the pitter patter of the water hitting ground, and, really, it was oddly reassuring.  
Until something stopped the little showers from hitting him, yellow reflected on the wet film on the ground that had him glimpsing up only far enough to spot a tan hand holding the umbrella up for him, prompting him to immediately look straight ahead again because he didn’t think he had it in him to look at that, in his opinion, disgusting face at the moment.  
“As a CEO, shouldn’t you be able to afford not sitting out here?” The barista asked, shoving a paper cup in front of his face and as second after second passed without it being taken, Zhengting only staring at it in confusion, not knowing how to make sense of it, the employee went on, “You forgot your drink last time. And today isn’t exactly warm so you might need it. Although I chose decaf because it must have been tiring so I guess you must appreciate sleeping over losing it…”  
“Didn’t forget it,” he muttered in response, so silent the other didn’t even hear it if the confused hum was anything to go by, but he didn’t even bother to repeat his thoughts as he just reached for the drink, carefully taking it sip only to taste the familiar and yet long since forgotten taste macchiato, hazelnut and vanilla on his tongue, little delighted noise escaping him as he cradled the warmth of it against his cheek.  
Only belatedly he realized that, while he hadn’t forgotten his coffee that day, he had very much so forgotten to put on makeup in the morning, or intentionally skipped out on it, even his skin needed a break and with no one around on a holiday, he hadn’t expected to be caught so now all he could do was use the trademark cup in between them, hiding his face from sight but also preventing having to look at the stranger, because surely looking at that face only would cause bile to rise in the back of his throat.  
“Thank you,” he said regardless, meaning the drink he had been gifted and been taking a sip from every some moments, he didn’t want to say it but in a way the company was both unsettling and soothing, because he wasn’t used to it, it was both charming and bothersome, it made him revert to his first day in elementary school, none of his confidence apparent back then, no, he had been but a shy and intimidated grade schooler, not knowing how to deal with this new kind of situation to the point he hadn’t managed to talk to anyone nor make friends for months.  
Not it was the same, he wasn’t sure for what reason but this barista looked for proximity, physical and… well, maybe even the mental kind, and he was too out of tune to react to it properly, all he could do was feel turned off and maybe even disgusted, that was way preferable to feeling shy, and yet he didn’t know the very reason for his words stumbling out, maybe it was the weather making him vulnerable, or the coffee that tasted so much like a past he’d rather not visit again, maybe it was just melancholy that made his tongue move to form the syllables, phrasing a reply to question that had been asked long before, “Am waiting for my car.”  
There was some silence, the rustling of clothes as the guy next to him moved around a bit, either to search for something or it was a habit developed while thinking, Zhengting wasn’t sure and he wasn’t even able to check because he much rather preferred to stay hidden behind his obnoxious Starbucks cup still, but the answer to his unanswered questions soon presented itself to him, “Why wait outside? You have a whole building to yourself and yet you’re sitting out here?”  
Lightly he shrugged, heard the sloshing of coffee caused by the moving and he was quite relieved the cap was well shut because at least he wouldn’t burn his fingers that way, a possible stark contrast to the chilly yet oddly comfortable evening chill, but he only managed to reply with a delay, “Can see the car better. Found it more reassuring.”  
Words and names were rumored to have special powers and he thought it applied quite well at this moment because just talking about his car seemed to have been enough to have the familiar and sleek black Mercedes roll up, a welcome sight, leading him to dodge out from beneath the brightly yellow umbrella, decorated with little black-and-white cartoon bunnies as he realized now, weirdly cute and definitely not fitting the appearance of the barista, or as much as he could remember of it in that short look he had paid him days ago and never again.  
Waiting the last seconds between seeing the car approach and having it halt in front of him, the doors pulled open by the driver, he dug his hand into his pocket, pulling out a spare bill that equaled around the twenty-fold of the original coffee price, handing it to the one still crouching on the ground, hidden behind his absurdly adorable and bright umbrella, and pressing it into one slender hand without waiting for a reply. “For the coffee. Take a taxi home because I don’t want to be blamed for you getting sick. And… thank you.” For the beverage or waiting together, or maybe both, he actually wasn’t sure but he wasn’t interested in specifying, not when the warmth of a car was right next to him, inviting and comfortable, and he just wanted to get home because his day had been lonely and long, yes, but he only knew how to handle another faceless male, he really wasn’t eager to now see one, so he’d rather escape such situation by sliding into the car with a door falling close shutting him off from the outside.

“No… Zhang- Wait, Zhangjing, listen- No! You can’t just- Zhangjing, I-” Still caught up in all his protests, the phone call ended before he could protest any further and he wasn’t even sure whether it was caused by his assistant’s bad connection, a given, because the older was god knew where because of whatever emergency had come up over the weekend that resulted to his right hand now being late, or faulted to his accidentally clicking the red button from where his phone was stuck between his ear and his shoulder, hanging in there just barely because it was too much all at once, having to hold the stack of papers and folders in one arm, his dogs tossing in their back and not able to grab a hold of his phone since the moment he had picked up the call seconds before leaving the car.  
With every passing step he felt his phone slipping further and decided he had reached the limit of his abilities when he reached the elevator specifically reserved for managers and other top tiers, needing to set down the bigger and moving bag first to prevent the small device from crashing down onto the floor, soon followed by the smaller one that held his personal belongings and those files he had been able to stuff inside, catching his phone from where it had once been stuck now that his hand was free but it was that moment of not paying attention that took a turn for the worse, because next thing he knew a black and white something each were tumbling out of the case and rolling over the floor, a single bark audible before they took off, running through and dodging past employee legs.  
It took him several moments to realize what just happened but it had him cursing out sooner than he wanted, stack of files dropped next to his bags as he hurried after his two dogs, cursing Wubaiwan because surely it had been her genius to get the two of them out, cursing himself for always needing to take the bulldogs along into office because he didn’t like the idea of leaving them alone at home, nor did he want to be without them for too long.  
That much, he decided, once it came down to it, he should’ve seen happening, the naivety of his dogs to just follow food but also their smartness to know exactly how to make use of hurried business people to get into the shop, following after the scent of breakfast treats and sweets, so much so he could only see their small shadows down on the ground and between legs as they passed the glass gates, far ahead of him who had to push his way around all the employees who were blind to their own boss in their hurry of reaching work places and office rooms, he wasn’t able to just crawl around the ground and make use of stubby and adorable legs, had to make his way past people hardly ever his age and yet ranking lover than him altogether.  
It felt like an eternity of worrying about his dogs and rushing after them to finally reach the Starbucks through the doors connecting to their entrance hall, immediately engulfed by the scent of sweet treats fresh out of the oven, warm breakfast specials and freshly brewed coffee, it was an arrangement that had tempted him in the mornings several times too, except he had never entered except that one time because of his own stubbornity and he hadn’t even left with a drink, now he was entering because of his dogs and he couldn’t say it was any more enjoyable.  
Yet another curse slipped his lips, not able to spot the two anymore, fearing for them because of the hustle inside the shop that was as stuffed as one of the stores in the stations during rush hour, he definitely could understand why they had wanted this branch where the stream of customers was pretty much guaranteed, something he had never paid attention to this much, had rather preferred to turn a blind eye to this dumb shop that was bothersome to him rather than interesting, and he nearly yelled when he felt someone tap his shoulder from behind too.  
“Your dogs are over there,” someone told him, a quite tall barista as he figured as he turned around, black hair kept a bit longer, undercut and with an obnoxious flash shaved into it, the green apron establishing the stranger as one of the employees of the branch, helpfully pointing into a corner that was half-way behind the counter already, the two dogs cuddled around a small plate with food and a bowl with water, their sturdy necks caressed by familiar tan hands and a wave of relief washed over him within an instant.  
“How-” He heard himself start but broke off his own words when the barista whose voice he knew better than his face turned his head, their eyes meeting and immediately relief was covered by a sensation of of uncomfortable heat washing over him, cold shiver running down his spine in too much of a contrast, and only tuned in when he saw the taller right next to him reply in the means of a casual shrug.  
“Zhangjing talks a lot,” he only got to hear before the barista, Ziyi, if going by his name tag, already disappeared behind the counter entirely, taking care of the stream of people that wanted their coffee before working hours, entirely ignored now by him as well as the one patting his dogs still, slowly approached now as he crouched down in a bit of a distance, holding his hand out towards his dogs but only Fuli paid the least bit of attention to him, turning around to press its wet snoot into his hand now that the plate was empty, void of any treat entirely.  
“Traitor,” he mumbled under his breath as he was still looking at the black one curled against the coffeemaker, her side rubbing against, as he now noticed, perfectly toned legs, pleading for the pettings she so easily received and for a moment he hoped it would be all good now, except it wasn’t, because the moment he tried to grab and lift up the younger dog, the white fur slipped out of his hands and the bulldog joined its sister, pleading for caresses from the barista now to.  
Yanjun, he finally found out, because three, apparently, is the charm, and those hands he had seen so very often were busy with his dogs, long digits rubbing them behind their ears as if lives depended on that action but it was just adorable, jealousy inducing about not receiving any more attention from his own pets, but also kind of adorable.  
“You know, Mister CEO, you can just leave them here for a while longer, we don’t really mind,” the other suddenly said, diverting his attention from the caresses to look up at where the words had come from, but the moment he saw dark eyes and a dimpled smile, they darted down all over again, rather focusing on the two traitors that would rather receive love from a stranger who fed them whatever they got instead of from him who so diligently fed them and played with them day in and day out.  
In upcoming protest, he already parted his lips but before he could utter so much as a word, he was cut off by the other talking again, “You looked quite packed before. At least you should go and take your stuff to your office before you pick them up from me. I can watch over them for a while but I’m not able to leave my workplace to help you out, unfortunately.”  
“Are you sure you aren’t just baiting me to come back?” Zhengting was quick to retort but got up regardless, surely he should rather grab his dogs and make a run for it but he also felt a bit sorry to them, they only knew his office room and at least they would get a change for once, even though he was pretty sure most of Linong’s pay was to play with the dogs rather than complying to terms of internship but what was he the boss for if not to abuse his standing with the employees.  
Already up and standing again, brushing wrinkles out of his pants and jacket, all too aware of the eyes burning into his frame from where they were watching his movements, he realized something only belatedly, looking down at the black mess of hair and hands being pawed at, “How do you know about my materials?”  
Instead of an answer, he received another dimpled smile which lead to his stomach twisting and turning in what must be some sort of funny illness, making him wonder for a moment if one could be allergic to another person, but it was ditched when hearing a rather unexpected reply instead, “You look good in that suit.”  
Involuntarily, he choked on air, not knowing how to respond but, luckily, he was saved by his phone vibrating in his back pocket, quickly pulled out and the call accepted before he had even so much as checked the name, only to pale at his lovely intern’s cheerful reminder of having a meeting in another five minutes, a bright report of the pages currently being printed and stacked and he was so close to cursing all over again because this day definitely didn’t go as planned, actually, nothing ever went as planned on days he ran into Yanjun and slowly it was making him sick indeed but now he had no way to think about it.  
“I’ll send my assistant to pick them, black one’s Wubaiwan, white’s Fuli,” he just hurriedly stammered before he already turned around, not wanting to deal with this barista any longer and neither did he want to be late, sacrificing his treacherous pets for that reason seemed to be quite adequate, he figured, so he didn’t even bother waiting for a reply, a habit, surely, around Yanjun, to turn around and just leave, noting the irony this day would have carried if only he had gotten a coffee on a day he wanted none while he had refused it on a night he had so utterly craved it.

With his morning meeting only just having ended, dragging on for way longer than he liked but how could they ever finish on time anyways, it took all of his last energy to make it over to his office room only to be greeted by the excited humps of his dogs, apparently they had finally left Linong for good because the kid just let out a relieved sigh and reached for a Starbucks cup from the coffee table and - Wait? Why was there even a Starbucks cup? Several, actually.  
“Zhangjing?” Zhengting called out, dumping all his files and notes on said coffee table that held another two beverages and a paper bag and his body onto the couch, only to be surrounded by his two animals immediately, curling up against his thighs and resting their pouty heads on his legs.  
“On the phone right now,” the younger opposite him instead replied, pulling up a sticky note from one of the cups to read loudly, “‘The one with a heart on it is for Zhengting. In the bag are some treats from Yanjun - winky face. He wrote his phone number down to so you better give him a call, you-’ I think I should stop there, Sir.”  
If the blush on the puppy-like face was anything to go by, Zhangjing had started to curse even on paper now, which seemed to be a tad too much like his secretary but he didn’t say that out loud, rather he wondered why the older even knew the name of the barista for a moment, only for so long before he recalled that the other one, Ziyi, if he remembered right, had said that his assistant talked a lot so naturally that small foodie must have gotten a conversation with all of the employees down there already.  
He sighed softly, ripping the sticky note out of Linong’s hands only to tear it to pieces before he looked for the cup that had, indeed, a heart drawn onto it, as if that was the best way to identify his, yet it was so utterly cheesy it made him feel disgusted nearly because, apparently, Yanjun had a weird talent in making him feel sick to the bone, a bothersome ability that would only drag him down in the longer run of it, he feared.  
Yet, regardless of that, he had to appreciate the thought of it, already smelling the perfect mixture of coffee and vanilla and toffee that had him salivate, one hand steadying the cup to take a sip while he already reached for the bag with the other, the rustling enough to draw the attention of his dogs but he just ignored it as he reached inside, stickiness greeting him as he not only found a cinnamon roll but also several cookies in there,one of each apparently, and a stack of tissues he pulled out first.  
“I didn’t know what you liked most so enjoy! And tell me your order in advance next time,” it read, followed by, indeed, a phone number but before he could do even so much as remember the first three digits, he had already crumbled it up into a ball, spreading another out to carefully have the treats spread on top of it, the cinnamon roll in his hands already, still warm and sugar coating sticky, as he signed the intern to take some of his own too.  
And Linong did take one of the several cookies placed around, either it was deliberate or just a coincidence that he chose one with chocolate, the kind Zhengting wouldn’t like because he didn’t enjoy the brown stuff, rather content with his roll instead as they were interrupted by the door opening just as the younger had opened his mouth to apparently start a conversation now.  
Turning his head, he was able to catch a glimpse of his small secretary, receiving a look over in return as the oldest approached them and took a seat next to the youngest, reaching for the last coffee cup and a cookie as well as he started, “Let me summarize that one now… A - You never drink the Starbucks I bring you but you’re drinking it right now. B - A hot barista gave me his phone number for you. C - Said hot barista was watching your dogs you are overly protective off because you’re emotionally constipated and only bond with animals. D - Why? What happened?”  
With the last point, Zhangjing have the intern beside a questioning look but the youngest only shrugged his shoulders and continued nibbling his cookie, staying out of this conversation and discussion for good because getting dragged into this would only backfire, it always did when the assistant decided to play spiritual guide for his boss.  
“A - None of your business. B - I don’t care. C - Why would I be emotionally constipated? I am perfectly fine! See!” Zhengting huffed, signing at himself and his, indeed, perfect looks but he was quite aware of how accurate such accusation had been, so maybe he was not as expressive as he had once been but there was no need to know that for people who hadn’t known him before he had taken over the company, he’d rather they kept thinking he had always been arrogant and closed off because seeing three pairs of eyes looking at him as if he were a pitiful puppy once a week was definitely bad enough already.  
“You know exactly what I’m talking about, Zhengting!” The words that surely had been supposed to sound threatening or alike couldn’t nearly bring up this kind of effect when they came from a mouth stuffed by munched up cookie pieces, and to some extent the addressee definitely knew, because maybe he had known neither of these two before but for sure his assistant had heard the story from his father, maybe also from a board member because old geezers wanting to take over the company in his stead were wrinkled gossipers who could never keep their mouths shut. “There’s finally some guy daring to deal with that stick-up-the-ass-y attitude of yours so you better take him up on that!” And, just to shut down all protests, the oldest quickly continued, “And don’t you tell me there’s nothing going on because you’re drinking Starbucks right now and you hate that shop!”  
“Go back to work,” was the best the accused could come up with as snarled answer before he lifted his own ass from the couch, coffee and cinnamon roll in his hands as he made his way to his desk, putting an effort into looking like the hardworking CEO he was supposed to be when, honestly, he only put an effort into ignoring the crumpled tissue still residing on the table. 

Evenings like this were lonely, he decided, as he pulled his coat tighter around his frame, the kind he’d wear for fashion more than use until it was getting chilly after all, with his dogs long since gone, taken home by Zhangjing to wait for him there until he followed up too, tired enough to just drop into bed without bothering to so much as shower if only he could afford doing that, it felt quite similar to some while ago, standing outside and waiting for his car to arrive but while on another day he would’ve gone home directly, this night was another case though.  
With a little huff he looked down at his phone screen still being lit up, proof of the call that had ended just moments ago, a call that should have brought him relief because he was for once freed from the curse of a business dinner but it didn’t achieve quite that for some odd reason he couldn’t name, didn’t carry the hint of happiness finishing early and getting to head home immediately would have usually held, and it was unsettling with an extent.  
“Waiting for your car again, Director?” A voice called him out of his trance, enough so to nearly make him shriek and most definitely jump in his stance, fumbling with his phone as to not drop it before he so securely put it into his pocket to instead face the barista who had approached him, so neatly dressed in a sweater and jeans, for once not covered by the green apron he was used to stare at so much rather than that ridiculously handsome face.  
“Kind of,” he muttered, noting the sly little grin and annoying dimples that were turned towards him, the malicious joy in having startled him, even if it was just from the corner of his eyes, making him feel even more bothered than he already was as he instead took in the sight of a thin grey wool coat covering the barista, nothing special yet looking unfairly fashionable on the employee. “I just headed out a bit too early… Sometimes I forget not everyone uses crowded elevators because I see it too often.”  
For a moment, silence alone engulfed them, as silent as a bustling city could be at night, the street quieter than at daytime but not serene when it was only that far away from them, the traces of conversations a faint note carried over by the breeze, and it was only interrupted when the other released a low hum after some time. “You never messaged or called me. Neither did you tell me what kind of treats you liked.”  
“Had no intention to,” the company owner replied so scarcely, not getting to notice the slightly disappointed look on the face he never dared looking at or else he’d have this odd feeling flipping his stomach over again and again, rather he was distracted by the already familiar sight of his car approaching, the driver making amends to getting out of his seat after stopping but it was Yanjun who instead went to open the backdoor this time around.  
There was a sensation of words wanting - needing - to be said but never quite getting out, the kind of sensation that left Zhengting not feeling much because the world of business and trades was a world of do-or-die, so if things were left unspoken, it was the fault of the party in charge, it wasn’t his job to take care of that, he had learned from that mistake already, so he’d rather get out of such atmosphere and dodge into his car instead, with such unsettling feeling, again, not leaving him alone.  
It was only when he was already seated and could see the barista carefully pushing the door close that his hand moved without his command, his eyes darting up to find another pair, and maybe fate just wanted to kick him in the balls because a slight breeze carried over the scent of baked goods and coffee and made him remember to settle an outstanding score by affect rather than logical thinking. “Do you have any plans for now? My appointment got cancelled but I still have a reservation for a table tonight.”  
Which was the very reason of why he found himself sitting in the private room and opposite the barista around half an hour later who seemed rather dumbfounded with the surroundings and the eloquence that was Zhengting quoting a whole series of dishes and drinks without needing so much as to look at the menu the waitress had intended to hand them originally, only for that act to be denied, much to his company’s shock.  
“Is this an apology for not contacting me?” Yanjun finally asked when the white noise that was a violin playing somewhere had become to burdening and, much to his dislike, he had to admit that the question had been daring, the speaker having guts for being so forward and maybe it would have been impressive if only he had heard more brazen questions already.  
“I don’t intend to apologize for that,” the company director merely answered while reaching for a glass of water, eyes skillfully trained on all other kinds of places than the visage more or less right in front of him, there were a dozen better places to look at, like maybe well manicured nails or the slightly stretched out sleeves, meaning the owner liked to pull his sweater downwards too much or pushed them upwards too often. “Payback. For giving me a lot of things to try before without even making Zhangjing pay for them.”  
“You could have paid me back in writing me a message and saying your thanks. Even just answering my question would have been enough,” the other retorted in a calm manner, tinged with something that was a bit of a struggle to name and, for sure, he was too tired to even try to decode it so he just left it hanging, shrugging lightly.  
“I don’t like chocolate. Neither do I like to call when it isn’t about work. Or text, for that matter.” If only his secretary could hear that much, he surely would have gotten scolded again, for turning down a man who was so obviously interested, maybe even about not getting dicked down for a change now that Linong wouldn’t be around, but it didn’t change his opinion about not wanting to get involved with the barista. Which was ironic, considering they were currently having a very date like dinner together.  
Their already sluggish conversation was interrupted once again as the waitress came in with some backup, carrying several plates that were now littered around the table, each a difference western dish in a bit of a smaller size, indeed, they were meant to offer a taste in their various ways rather than to satisfy fame entirely.  
“I didn’t know what you liked most,” Zhengting started mockingly, his face not betraying such emotion for it was still a perfect pokerface he didn’t mean to let fall as he picked up his cutlery to dive into the only normal sized serving that was his, all while their assigned waitress filled their glasses with wine, “So enjoy. And tell me your order in advance next time.”

It was over a week later that he found himself back to the shop he still swore he hated, standing at the register and waiting to give up his order and if Ziyi standing several feet down and cleaning the coffee machine for the third time now was able to take it, then the barista for sure as hell didn’t put an effort into that, and if Zhengting hadn’t known about Yanjun being around from his little spy Linong already, then now he would know from the behavior of the tall employee.  
As if to prove his sole suspicion right, the very next moment the only door behind the counter already opened up, giving sight to the very man he had hoped to meet in first place, emerging from the staff room or whatever was behind there, except he still didn’t look at that obnoxious face for it still gave him gut and heart wrenching sensations and he’d rather escape that one, so, intentionally, he looked anywhere beneath that chiseled jawline, deciding that, yes, indeed, that annoying green apron was way better.  
“Here,” he said, before Yanjun could so much as open a both, nearly slamming a paper bag carrying the label of his network provider onto the counter, further signaling the meaning of his action by pushing it over towards the other. “And then I want my usual order. And Zhangjing’s.”  
“You… came here to give me this?” The barista slowly asked, taking the back with this annoyingly envy arousing hands to pull it closer, and Zhengting didn’t even know to see his face to imagine all the emotions currently showing up, probably confusion upon seeing a phone brand box and much more so the paper that was a new phone contract, probably quite confused, maybe even shocked, and a curious Ziyi released a whistle upon seeing the present.  
“I came to order my coffee so will you move on already?” The building owner nearly growled in annoyance, he didn’t want to drag this on any longer than necessary, business partners sure were more easy going, while not receiving phones but usually ending up with wine or some new watch, they usually just praised it for a moment, paid their thanks, and then they put it away, but that neither of that had happened so far was excruciating enough, not something he was used to when usually it was all about passing fast and faster. “My usual. And Zhangjing’s. You know that much, don’t you?”  
“Coconut caramel Frapuccino on coffee base and the brownie,” the taller barista added in helpfully, as if creating that order was now a group project but if, at least, it would speed up the process, Zhengting didn’t even mind that much, only watched how these two were already put into the system before Mr Undercut, as he called the barista only to annoy Zhangjing, went to prepare the drink already. Fricking special treatment.  
“Boss,” Yanjun started, immediately waving a hand when catching his dark glare even when it was still directed at the neck strings of that, for whatever reason, irritating green apron, and correcting himself, “Zhengting… Look… This is not something I can accept and neither understand. Yesterday I tried to call you and then you just cut me off and now you want to give me a recently released phone with a contract on your name for… what reason?”  
Right… That phone call… It still sent his blood boiling to even just think about it, because for whatever reason his assistant had decided to meddle with his business and handed his number, his private number, not to mention, the one he usually kept for family and friends - he didn’t have - and emergencies, to the barista during one of the coffee collections, without telling him, the owner, as he might add in.  
And then, out of the blue and as he was busy getting ready for bed with shower and all, his phone had started ringing, naively he had thought it was his sister who had odd calling times, or someone else, and picked up, only to hear Yanjun’s voice hesitantly calling out his name and promptly his phone had ended up in the sink, display shattered and water from the turned on tap had seeped in, causing his phone to turn into a pile of useless metal and at least he was a vivid user of the cloud for changing phones so often or that one would have backfired.  
“Dropped it,” he just said, grabbing the box holding the phone to take it out and turn it on, once again reminding the other about his order so at least that one had a chance of progress while he was still busy discussing this. “So I had to get a new one and they had some special offer or something, meaning yours was only half the price since I already bought another two. And yours is so old I get the shivers. It has enough memory for you to download a lot of apps and I made sure you had enough data in that contract that you don’t need to worry about overusing it at all. And my number is already saved so you don’t need to worry about that either. Can I get my coffee now?”  
“Why me?” The employee still went on and it would have been more bothersome if not at the same time Zhengting was already signaled to pay for his order, handing a way too grand bill but before Yanjun had even just touched the cash register to get out the change, he had already moved on to the end of the counter, sticking Zhangjing’s overpriced chilled drink into one of the paper holders, lightly raising his eyebrows at the barista in charge of his own drink to encourage him to go on. “Why give a new phone to me? And pay for the contract when I have a perfectly working one?”  
“You don’t like it?” That seemed to freeze the other for a moment, and there was this expression he already knew, the kind he had seen on enough faces of people not used to getting expensive gifts, the one that showed they were kind of overthrown because it was too unexpected and they didn’t know how to handle it, it didn’t always mean they disliked it, though, because, in the end, all humans were greedy pigs delighted by receiving presents. “I told you, it was a special offer, and your contract is like a grain of rice to me so I don’t lose anything and you gain something. And Zhangjing already got the model released in spring, he can just charge the company if he wants a new one.”  
Yanjun’s next mistake, he already decided, was handing him his drink and the two treats, because it meant he was finally able to leave without needing to continue, successfully shutting down any answer before it had even made its way out, well aware that some of the few remaining people around at such time had paid them a bit too much attention, maybe they also were rather around to watch the two barista than do something remotely useful, and even more so of Ziyi’s teasing words when the giant thought he was out of hearing range, “Your sugar daddy is quite prickly, don’t you think?”  
Well, as teasing as someone could be who was used to speaking in such a gentle tone, something he had already noticed in his handful of visits, and silently he took a note to research what the heck a sugar daddy was as he passed the doors of the shop to enter the sterile world of business.

Standing in front of the building when he had first arrived, he honestly had to admit he had nearly forgotten about that project ever since he had left university with his degree, back then it had been a daily sight, something he hadn’t shown off with because there was no need to, but the sounds of the construction side had resounded throughout the attached building regardless, there had always been drilling and nailing and other loud noises that interrupted their classes and surely had annoyed the teachers in their lectures more than the students themselves.  
It had only been brought back to his attention because of this very event, the opening of the new wing with its facility rooms, quite new projectors, more comfortable seats in the work rooms, study lounges for the students, it was a pity he hadn’t been able to fit a bigger lecture hall in there but now that the new rooms were open, at least he could pitch in the idea to reconstruct the old ones so no more students would need to suffer a sore ass from sitting on these tiring benches anymore.  
The irony was that he hadn’t had any say in what rooms were now part of the facility and yet he had been the one to open it up, just because he had decided to pitch in the most money needed for the project, partly because it had been his father’s suggestion back when he had entered tertiary education, to get on the good side of the board member’s and forge connections for the future because he’d never know when he’d need them, partly because he had liked the idea of sitting in a building that held the name of his family, except he would never really get to sit in there because he hadn’t been interested in getting a higher degree after that incident.  
It was a thought that had him sighing internally and smiling brightly because there were still cameras taking pictures, recording the opening ceremony and requesting for interviews all until it was time to finally go inside, escape the weather that was slowly getting colder with the change of seasons to instead have the less formal celebration in the entrance hall instead, warmer, and enough champagne going around to satisfy everyone, one of the glasses soon in his own hand because now the tiring part surely was about to start, the one that involved cheering to everyone, discuss the building structure, the equipment, most of which he had to learn about only on his car ride to the university grounds because surely he hadn’t been up to date on the information involving this.  
By the time they had gone inside and the time he was finally getting a break, the sky outside had turned from a light blue to deep black, more of it having passed than he would like and he wasn’t even done just yet, that much he was aware of, because maybe he had managed to pass by every board members but so far he hadn’t been able to greet every professor involved with the department, some of those he still knew from only a while ago when he had visited their classes.  
“Here,” a way, way too familiar voice suddenly called out next to him as a plate with some small treats was held out in front of him, the well known tan look of slender fingers startling him, charmingly contrasting with the white ceramic and… no, that’s it, he was done with the champagne for the night, he decided as he took the plateful carefully, muttering his thanks.  
“You didn’t eat anything for hours now. I’m impressed you can still stand with as much as you had to drink,” Yanjun went on, eyes attentively on Zhengting as he took a first tentative bite, his own gaze roaming over the guy he usually saw in work clothes or sweaters when leaving the shop, never he had actually seen him dressed up like this, with slacks and a shirt and a fashionable blazer but it wasn’t behind him to recognize the rather low quality of fabric as compared to most other people, the lack of a brand that would have made its appearance obvious one way or another, so while it definitely did look nice - wow, the alcohol really must have gotten to him to admit that much - it also could look better, was itching him in the fingers to just get a call with his favorite shop to order a lot of clothes for the other.  
“Practice,” he answered in between his slow bites, not quite daring to rush himself now that he felt the slight daze of alcohol in his system without the stress of having to keep up an act making him forget about it. “Lots of events like this since years. Lots of business dinners with drinks. Gotta keep up with all those trained drinkers.”  
Was there a slur to his words? He didn’t know but apparently Yanjun did notice, either that or something else, because there was a light nudge that had him trot after the other, disappearing through a door into the old wing of the joined building, lead around hallways that were so familiar and yet seemed like a faint memory until they reached a certain door he knew would lead to one of the professors’ office, swiftly opened with a key conjured up from nowhere and then he was already guided inside and made to sit on the old leather couch pushed against a wall, the room carrying the scent of that piece of furniture and old books and coffee and, honestly, it immediately made him feel more comfortable.  
“Why do you have access here?” Carefully, as if the action would disrupt the peace of this room, he put down the now empty plate on the coffee table, was handed a glass of water instead that he gladly took, and for the first time since several long weeks, he adjusted his eyes to look at the other towering above him and if it was only because drinking too much had his perspective a tad too distorted and Yanjun was still standing, unlike him, but, more important, “And why are you even here? I was told it would be a smaller event with no students or- Do you even study here?”  
If the smile he had seen on handsome features before had already been charming, he had to admit that this broader version of it was even more alluring and if the “I think I like you being drunk, you don’t seem to hold back as much anymore. It’s cute,” had him pouting, then that chuckle he could lure out from a foreign throat was definitely doing horrible and worrisome things to his heart. “But to answer your question, yes, I do study here, and the reason I get to attend is because I’m assisting Professor Huang. I didn’t expect to see you here, though, Zhengting.”  
Abort mission, abort mission, or whatever was best used in such situation, he decided, because that low voice sounding even lower in the darkness was sending shivers down his spine and he definitely did not enjoy that, it prompted him to stand up already, a bit too fast because it made him dizzy and suddenly Yanjun seemed awfully close because, right, he had drunk too much and was now needing to be steadied by the barista who was, still, way too close so he quickly stepped back to get some distance between them again.  
“Rich people sponsor stuff,” he answered silently, using wanting to look around the room as excuse to get away from the coffeemaker-turned-TA, there was the sturdy old desk of the professor, finally equipped with a newer PC than the old versions he was still used to, and then there was a smaller one in the corner, definitely Yanjun’s, handwritten notes and books lying around, some about business and some with English titles, not really making it a challenge to guess his interests even though he was slightly intoxicated. “That’s what rich people do… Earn money and then waste money in hopes of earning more money.”  
His voice was faint but that might only be his imagination too, fingers tracing over papers and the old laptop, god, he didn’t even know those were still sold, not to mention he couldn’t understand how the owner had it working until now but he decided to not comment on it for now.  
“So are you wasting money on me in hopes of earning more, too?” The one now acknowledged as business major asked, making Zhengting turn his head to find the co-host of this room settled on the couch the way he had been before, except maybe a bit more comfortable, and it was unfair because it still looked deserving of a photo shoot, so he only shrugged it off and took another sip of water.  
“No… Because I don’t waste money on you, it’s… not a waste. Let’s say I sponsor you. Because you remind me of an old memory I thought I’d never get to recall again.” He smiled wryly while still looking at the old and surely overused device before turning on his heels, with a bit too much momentum because it was making him dizzy, nearly had him lose balance if not he had supported himself on the table instead. “Let’s go back, shall we? I shouldn’t be missing for too long before they get the wrong thoughts, I guess. And thanks for the water…”

“You’re an idiot,” Zhangjing declared as he put down a cup of coffee, the good kind, in a nice china and from their floor’s coffee machine, actually meaning his coffee machine because there were only so many office rooms up there with more meeting rooms around, and effectively startled Zhengting from reading over a report on the screen of his computer.  
“Why?” He asked, dreading the reply already, but making an attempt to reach for the coffee regardless even though he saw the hand slapping his away coming, pulling his lips into a snarl as he pushed back from his desk, rolling towards the floor length window covering the upper floors, looking at his secretary from his distance with arms hugging his legs to his chest. Days without meetings be blessed because he could wear something more comfortable for once, even though he still had to look appropriate for business but people seemed to be more lenient with him considering his age and all.  
“I sometimes really wonder how you’re able to even lead the company with a brain like yours…” The older shook his head in a disapproving manner and, honestly, if it weren’t for the abilities of his secretary, he should have fired him long ago for being such a dick to him, the darned director, but like this he could only suck it up and wait for more to come. “How can you buy Yanjun a phone - then turn him down. Then buy him a new laptop - then ignore him. Are you just stupid or did you never get dicked down at all?”  
“I didn’t ignore him,” he huffed, not even bothering to react to the other accusations because, thank you, he did lose his virginity already, and he was quite certain that if he had the urge to, as Zhangjing so eloquently put it, “get dicked down” again, he would be able to achieve exactly that with ease, he just wasn’t interested in it at all.  
Rolling his eyes, he rolled forward with his chair again and pulled out his phone, searching for the right chatroom only to be able to shove it into the other’s face, the picture of the new device along with different equipment and a single “?” had been a good prompt to his simple “sponsoring” and then a bunch of messages saying thank you, saying he can’t accept that, and then Zhengting had started to ignore it because, as he had learned, just ignoring people on their attempts to denying his presents was the easiest way to get them to know how that he didn’t intent to take them back. At all.  
Except he had forgotten there was a bunch of other stuff in that chatroom too, mostly messages coming from Yanjun, his replies, written and spoken, were quite the same, short, turning down any advances, and generally he didn’t make it easy for the barista because, as he insisted, he wasn’t interested, and yet he was showered with smirking and winking emojis and dozens of different hearts and, yup, he totally had deleted all the selfies he had received because not interested. At all.  
“You’re an asshole,” Zhangjing started again, the increasing level of insults making the younger raise an eyebrow, but whether it was in doubt or offense he wasn’t sure himself, he just knew that he quite surely didn’t deserve to hear such words and if only because he was still in a higher position, at least in terms of company ranks. “Why do you keep giving him presents? Did you hit a pole on the street or something? Dickheads like you who turn into dumb sugar daddies are supposed to get dick too and instead you keep saying you’re not interested?”  
“Because I am not interested.” And he wasn’t willing to change such standing, not in the close future, it was quite fine like this, eventually Yanjun would come to the realization that it wasn’t worth it, that he had no chance, maybe he would just stick with friendship instead, and then he could still enjoy a new phone and laptop and Zhengting would be able to continue his life in peace and tranquility and if that thought had his stomach squeezing and his throat tighten, then he, for sure as hell, would just ignore that part.  
“Zhengting.” There it was, this familiar kind of tone that had him stiffen up because it reminded him of his mother scolding him as a child, except his secretary, for some reason, was scarier than the woman raising him even, making him doubt the hierarchy within the company for a short moment which he needed to swallow down forcefully now. “If you want to buy a company, you buy it. If you want to order dinner, you order it. Heck, even when you wanted a dog, you went ahead and got one. Two. So why can’t you just get Yanjun too since you’re already putting an effort into affording him?”  
“Because,” he started, pulling his eyebrows into a frown as he looked at the older, at least now being able to reach for his coffee since his assistant was way more busy looking through his phone to read over messages, making him regret ever having handed the small thing over to that prying little midget, “people are no goods, I can’t buy them. And I am not putting an effort into affording him.”  
“You can’t be afraid forever, you know?”  
His lips stilled around the edge of his cup, quite successful in burning his upper lip on the hot liquid still, except he noticed way too late thanks to being distracted with the accusation that was coming at him, the pain enough to prevent him from hardening his facial muscles too much because of the slight injury.  
“Zheng… What happened back then can’t repeat, Yanjun is-”  
“Yanjun,” Zhengting interrupted, voice turning into a low growl as he stared at his secretary, not wanting to have this kind of conversation for even just a second longer, turning to his computer screen quite obviously to signal such intention further, “is a person. Which means he can hurt me and that, Zhangjing, means it can repeat. And I won’t have it repeat.”  
“Zheng…” It was one last effort from his assistant that was prolific in being shut down with a single stern gaze, resulting in a sigh coming from the smaller along with a headshake. “At least write him back… He won’t accept the laptop without you telling him to, will you?”  
Knowing it was the only way to end this conversation, he yanked his phone out of stranger hands to send a quick “Keep it. I bought it for you.” that he showed the little imp before planting his fingers on his mouse and keyboard to signal the beginning of working hours all over again.

The yellow light from his night lamps mixing with the flickering flashes of color coming from the TV were soothing, the two little weights near his feet and hips reassuring, and the scent of vanilla from a candle calming, yet it did nothing to stop his rush of thoughts that yet resembled a huge stop put to traffic as he stared at the alit screen of his phone, his last message after the afternoon incident had been nothing but a picture of his two dogs in their shared bed in the corner of his room after leaving the bathroom, yet it had lead to a whole amount of cooing at his dogs, then, after a while, there had been a picture of the last present set up on a neatly organized desk, the new mouse on a pad he had spent a while looking for, wanting it to be the same bunnies as that umbrella back then, external hard disk drive not yet in use but he could see it in one of the compartments of an organizer.  
For the upteenth time this day he read over the repetitive thank yous and praises, how great the mouse worked, that any sort of programs needed for studies had already been paid for, how fast the device itself was, there really was a lot and all had been left on read, not knowing himself how to react to this properly so he had looked at the picture again, took in all the little details he could find, a picture of a little bunny stuck to a small chalkboard hung up on the wall that seemed to be used for notes, if the white smears were anything to go by, but also a place to attach things, a few magnets arranged around and he thought it was quite adorable, even if he was only able to see the bottom line of it.  
The organizers were all neatly done, papers arranger properly, little labels reading what was to be kept where, there was a stack of books in a corner that read both English and business oriented titles, it was all neat and organized, way unlike his own desk that would usually be a mess if not for Zhangjing and Linong cleaning up after him, taking care all things were filed and put into their respective places, just so he could find them again without hassle, and he found himself thanking whoever had sent these two his way than not, and even though Linong’s internship would soon run out, he already had asked his secretary to prepare a new contract, permanent one.  
But despite all these brisk details he couldn’t help notice other things too, how the desk wasn’t a new one but had clearly been used for years or more already, which didn’t fit well, because after some prying he had found out that the owner had only moved to this country around two years ago, part of his studies and because he had received a scholarship for working as a teacher’s assistant, that he was working in the coffeeshop regardless and using mostly old devices also had him suspecting that, indeed, the other wasn’t so well off, and definitely not used to luxury either, because there had indeed been a lot of hesitance in accepting his gifts.  
Despite the last message having arrived more than twenty minutes ago, he only found his fingers hitting the keyboard now, way later, but probably Yanjun was already used to slow and sparse replies, it really made him wonder why there had been no interest in giving up just yet, this had been dragging on for weeks now, the continued effort to get closer and repetitive habit of shutting such down, anyone else would have already left, he was quite sure they would have, because, no matter how great a catch he was - objectively speaking, of course - it was too much of a fight to get there.  
It had happened before, naturally it had, he was good-looking, he had money and influence, he wasn’t exactly dumb either if his grades, and now his business successes, were anything to go by, but most people going after him had been satisfied with sex and/or some pricey gift, and yet Yanjun had never asked for anything, except maybe some time with the dogs, had sent him gifts in the form of coffee and treats even, and upon receiving something, there had been no greed in accepting the gifts, much rather the opposite, neither had there been any more forward approaches despite some banter, some mild accusations, it was like a little child testing limits without an intention of crossing them, just to know when mommy would scold them and when not.  
With a sigh he dropped back his head, let it fall against the headboard of his bed, the little thump causing some noise loud enough to rouse his dogs but neither seemed to be more interested after figuring there was no repeat, little traitors, so when he received a message, he felt quite startled himself.  
“Why won’t you give up on me?” He didn’t know when he had typed that, when he had sent that, well, he did know that one based on the timestamp but it hadn’t happened knowingly, he hadn’t had no intention of asking that question to someone he couldn’t entirely understand but he often found himself saying he had no intention to do this or that and still did that very thing regardless. Darn it.  
“If I like someone, I tend to watch them a lot.”  
“I watched you a lot.”  
“Always looking so cold and stern.”  
“But you’re very warm treating your dogs.”  
“And that tall kid that always follows the midget.”  
“You’re not really as rude as you make yourself out to be.”  
“You showed me that often enough.”  
“You’re nice.”  
“And looking like an angel doesn’t help it either ;)”  
One by one the messages trickled in, and there it was again, this feeling of having his chest feel tied up, his throat constricted, and his stomach turning in its wake, it really was a feeling he disliked, a feeling he hated even, because it was hard to control it nor to file it nor to do about anything with it.  
Except maybe his subconscious knew what to do about it, up to the extent his thumbs were moving around again, tapping away on the screen until he had found a news article he had read once too often before deciding he would never again look at it, would never again bring it up, yet he found himself staring at the picture of himself laying on a stretcher, taken from a distance great enough for his face to be obscured but even just looking was enough to feel the faint pain rippling through his side and his leg all over again, memories he didn’t want to go back to, flashing by his inner eye one by one, so he couldn’t understand it, why he was copying the link and pasting it into the chat, forming a new bubble with the two marks appearing too soon, too fast, and followed by three moving dots too shortly.  
Before a message could possibly show up, he had pressed another button entirely, his ear filling with the echo of an inhale but he didn’t want to hear it, interfered with whatever would come next by speaking up first, “I told you before - you remind me of an old memory. Call it my first love. And now forget about it all over again because I don’t want to mention it even just once more in my life.”  
There was a thoughtful silence, the kind that wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, he only knew that he didn’t say anything anymore, waiting for Yanjun to say something, Yanjun waiting for him to say something, but all he could hear was slow breathing and the faint sound of a keyboard that worked magic better than any lullaby his mother had sang could ever have.

Flashing lights and loud music that reverberated through the whole of his body were something he hadn’t felt for a long time now, too long, if he had to admit, at least if the standard for people his age was taken into consideration, he probably was supposed to go out at least once a month, if not to party, then at least for a drink, not to be sitting around noble restaurants at night and discuss business deals because this is how the adult world ran, yet here he was, experiencing exactly this part of his youth that he hadn’t gone through for quite a while now, the whole drinking oneself into Abyss and dancing oneself senseless, and now that he was, all he did was drink whatever Zhangjing handed to hang onto the smaller exactly.  
“Jing,” he whined softly, right, he remembered why he never crossed the line while drinking, he became way too affectionate, way too honest, he didn’t want to look like a clingy person when usually he was doing his best to be the opposite entirely, regardless of that he wasn’t able to stop himself, only went on doing exactly that by whisper-yelling to the older, “I told him… I told Yanjun about what happened, you know?”  
“I know,” his now off-duty secretary replied, patting his hands laying on the smaller’s soft chest as he nuzzled closer, surely he was supposed to go and move to the music instead of blocking his kidnapper’s fun but so far there hadn’t been anyone to catch his interest so he hadn’t been willing to leave just yet. “He asked me about what it meant that you sent that link. I said you’re ready for the next step.”  
“And did you tell him too? That I lost my dream because of this? That a fucking beam came undone from a ceiling during a showcase and hit me? That I had to give up my dream and decided to enter business too early instead?”  
“He did,” a voice coming out of thin air whispered into his ear, startling him enough to finally be able to let go of his assistant to instead find himself face-to-face to that darned barista once he had turned his head, inhaling air sharply with the unexpected proximity that only seemed to be emphasized by feeling hot air hitting his lips when the other went on, “And to never bring it up again unless I want to ruin all my chances with you.”  
Stupid imp, he cursed in his mind while shooting Zhangjing a glare, but all he received in return was a wink and then his right hand man was already busy flirting with Mr Undercut, offering him an explanation as to why not only he was here but also the man so very close to him, this devilish midget had planned this from the very beginning, probably thinking of it as a “three birds, one stone” kind of move, that included getting closer to Ziyi, getting him closer to Yanjun, and then, meddling demon, simply to drag him out because getting involved in one’s bosses personal life was apparently a fun activity to engage in, even more so when it was with the welcome excuse of a close high school or university or whatever friend having opened up a club of her own.  
“You just brought it up,” he pointed out as he attempted to lean away, only to come to the realization that he had been seated on a stool the last minutes, meaning his tilting back also meant he might as well fall down and come crashing to the ground, would have, if not for a stranger arm wrapping around his waist and pulling him up again, bringing him back to the proximity he had been intending to avoid in first place.  
“You brought it up, boss, I only answered your question.” Those words combined with that darned dimpled smile sent a shudder down his spine and heat to spread throughout his body, giving him an unknown urge to just lean in and… hell would rather freeze over than him doing this, no way.  
“I’m drunk…” He muttered, trying to lean back as far as that arm wrapped around his waist allowed and… shit, when had the other managed to get between his legs? “Screw that… Need another drink…”  
And one had turned into two, then three, by the time he had managed to down that many and not yet fall over, he instead found himself hooking his fingers into the belt loops of Yanjun’s awfully tight jeans to pull the, as he had found out now, older along to the dance floor, except it was more like him falling into the sturdier one as he stumbled towards the giant pile of bodies rolling their limbs to the rhythm of the music and he could only hope he wasn’t the only intoxicated one, no matter how obvious it was that he was far further down the slope than his forced dance partner.  
As if all those other people pressing them together weren’t sufficient, Zhengting’s dance moves were surely making up for the remainder of space between them, moves definitely not as controlled in his current state but apparently strong enough to elicit a reaction from the barista, frames meeting, colliding, finding their own rhythm that was matching the heavy beats shaking up the very ground they were standing on, and if his hands were traveling to where his front couldn’t reach, then he definitely would deny any accusations the next morning, no matter how good it felt to have his palms flat against strong shoulders, feeling the flex of back muscles, the valley surrounding spine muscles, ass not perfectly rounded but perfectly firm…  
Definitely and without fail he would also deny any rumor about how he had been the first to lean in and go for what he had craved ever since first being close to that dumb coffeemaker with his dozens of hearts every night, namely being to just, finally, press his lips against their match, a kiss that was messy and heated and way too much tongue, too much teeth, and yet it was the best kiss he had ever had even when he found his back colliding with a wall in a less crowded part of the club, another body firm against his and nearly having him moan into the kiss.  
In an odd way, it felt right, right the way he had felt as he had first lifted his leg to hook his ankle to the wooden bar to help him stretching, as he had completed his first perfect pirouette, as he had first stood on stage, perfected new styles, it had all been as perfect as this kiss that had his heart beating fast and something rouse between his legs, he just wanted to drown in those arms, this embrace, he didn’t want to leave and it was all… was all because he was in love…  
And apparently he had said that out loud because once Yanjun’s lips parted from his, making their way along his cheek, his jaw, towards his ear to bite and suck the skin beneath it, tug at his earlobe, and to whisper low in tone, “I’m also in love with you, Zhengzheng. I really like you, boss.”

Sun rays kissing him good morning might as well be the hangover equivalent of the devil kicking him in the face, groaning as he buried his face into the pillows and attempted to turn around, which would be way easier if not for the dull ache that was his ass and his hips, the wobbly sensation of his legs that were a telltale sign of him better not getting up for at least another half an hour, which would be way easier to bear with if not for the pounding headache he was still suffering. Just how much had he drank last night…  
It took him way longer than he’d like to admit to shove himself up into a sitting position, something he regretted right the next moment because of the sharp rush of pain shooting up his spine, eluding a surprised yelp because, god, he couldn’t remember the last time he had been this sore and he couldn’t even remember who he had slept with to-  
“Morning, boss.”  
Okay, so maybe he did know who he had slept with because there was no way not to when that someone was standing in his bedroom doorway, dressed in a pair of sweats he must have stolen, golden skin nearly glowing with that kind of after-sex air, but just looking at a quite naked and very glorious Yanjun didn’t aid the pain in his lower body nor the headache still plaguing him along with morning sickness and he definitely didn’t envy girls for any of this currently.  
Dropping back into his pillows, he turned around to yell loudly into his pillow, screaming at himself, this situation, the coffeemaker, because this situation was too much to handle, he hadn’t had a one night stand or anything similar for years now and the one time he did get one, it had to be with that bothersome barista because… because “I’m also in love with you, Zhengzheng,”  
He trembled at the memory of such words, peeking past his pillow to look towards his entrance again but the barista was still standing there, arms crossed and obnoxiously flexing and with that awful dimpled smile still on his lips, it would have made him cry if maybe he were five years old, simply because he was so embarrassed by his own words and deeds.  
“I made breakfast,” the older finally offered, stepping further into the room to lean over the bed, closer to the whining and regretting and usually so confident CEO who was now hiding beneath his sheets as if he hadn’t bared his entire self to the other until only hours ago. “And I really want to kiss you right now so you won’t deny me, right?”  
Even if he had wanted to, he couldn’t, not when fingers drove through his hair and so effectively distracted him, blocking off any proper thinking until he had smooth and plush and perfectly fitting lips pressed against his, tasting of mouthwash with its sharp aftertaste and he had only so much awareness to remember he hadn’t yet brushed his teeth that he pulled back, hiding behind his blanket pulled up to his nose once again. “Bed,” he muttered and when seeing the suggestive spark coming up in dark eyes, he was quick to add a quick, “Breakfast. Breakfast in bed.”  
“Too bad. My chances will sink after you gained more energy again,” the so refreshed looking male hummed but, without further complaint, still went off only to return with a tray with food piled high and some drinks within minutes, set down on the mattress before hopping on too, toned legs crossed and their shape evident even despite being hidden by those sweats, it was making him hungry in a whole different kind of way than the food right in front of him suggested.  
Quickly his eyes darted around between the plates until he found the small wrapper of pills, throwing in one of the painkillers to hopefully counter the soreness of his limbs before he picked up one of the small potato pancakes, humming as he swallowed it within two bites and, honestly, he wanted to curse out the older because what was there that the other couldn’t do?  
“Zheng,” said one started, swiftly ignored over the prospect of food for as long as it was actually eaten so, naturally, the easiest way to make him focus was to take the plate of delicious treats away, prompting Zhengting to chase after it only to end up falling into another bare chest, for the first time noticing the amount of marks he had apparently left on tan skin, in the shadows of sharp collarbones, at the back of his tan neck, inviting him to start all over again, except, “Zhengzheng, hey, dear. I think we need to have a talk.”  
“No talking, yes eating,” he protested, whined - god, did he really just whine? - and tried to reach for the plate again but, seeing the unwilling yet oddly wavering expression on that handsome face, he sighed, carefully pushed himself back into a proper sitting situation once more so he could look at his opposite, shrugging lightly. “I confessed. You confessed. We can be in a relationship if you want. Now, give me food.”  
“You mean I should be dating your prickly and cute ass while you keep continuing to… ‘sponsor’ me?” The question, in the way it was phrased, nearly made him pout, except he was too stubborn to show such expression just yet, he only growled low in his throat, hand still childishly reaching forth to grab the plate that was finally handed to him again. “I like the idea of dating your prickly and cute ass. On one condition, though.”  
“If you want more presents, I can order the-” He found his own words interrupted by another kiss, a short one, lasting merely a few seconds and it was nothing more than a prolonged peck to the lips, yet it was quite efficient in having him stutter in his actions and frozen in his spot.  
“I want to eat you out once you’re done with breakfast. I didn’t get to enjoy you fully when we were both drunk, boss,” was the, admittedly, unexpected reply that had something, embarrassingly, rise low in his crotch, heat pooling in his stomach as he whined involuntarily, causing the older to grin in quite the satisfied and even more so predatory manner. “I take that as ‘yes’, boss. But you really need to stop with the presents…”  
His only reply consisted of a huff coming deep from his chest, decided that he definitely liked food more than his now-boyfriend, and maybe he had agreed to another round of sex, now that he was way less caught up in the effects of alcohol, but no way would he stop the presents when he could so easily afford them, nothing he did mind either, not when it meant leaving so many marks on the older.  
“Gonna suck you off first,” he decided finally, eyes darting down to those thighs clad in his sweats because, yes, definitely, marking them up during his kind of foreplay seemed to be a quite good idea.

There was no need in looking up from his tablet when he felt another arm wrap around his waist, lips pressing against his cheek from behind, closer to his ears than his mouth, but he didn’t mind, only let out a low rumble in his throat. “You’re late. If I clear some time in my schedule for your date, then you should-”  
His words were stifled as he felt his head getting turned, lips pressing against his and tongue not hesitating to push past his defense to explore his mouth, had him weak in the knees within seconds as he leaned more against the older, whining softly in protest, shivers running down his spine, he definitely hated being at Yanjun’s mercy like that and even more so because they were in public, fucking public, even if it was a mall he held a good amount of shares of, it didn’t mean he could just do whatever he wanted…  
“It’s not ‘my’ date, boss, it’s ‘our’ date,” the older corrected him while also reaching for his tablet, turning off the screen and having it disappear in his bag, making him grumble once again but at least he didn’t protest as he was pushed forward, a few steps, then he felt the halt in movement because clearly his boyfriend didn’t know the way around the mall nearly as good as he did.  
“No, your date, because officially I’m not even here but still in my office,” he denied stubbornly, reaching for a hand perfectly fitting his to drag the older around, up the escalators and towards some of his favorite shops, leaving the barista to roam the rows while he tried to sneak some reading of his files in whenever he could, which only worked for as long as he didn’t need to check the outfits his date had to wear to show off to him.  
More often than not he found himself saying “No way” or “Are you colorblind or something?” only to turn to the employee right the next moment to ask them to put that set of clothes aside for him to pick up later, better stock up on Christmas presents now that he still so shamelessly could with Yanjun trying on whatever he wanted for him, there was no better excuse than this to figure out what would fit the older and what not, what colors were best, and with the guarantee of a buy, even when it was only to happen later, the staff members at least didn’t seem to mind his saying two different things at all, much to his delight, meaning he could send either Zhangjing or Linong to pick it up later and get it all wrapped up and stored… somewhere so he could keep them save for another two weeks.  
A good two hours might have passed already during which Zhengting allowed his boyfriend to try on whatever, mostly for selfish reasons such as checking out the many different fits and getting his present list done, before he decided it was enough, clicking his tongue at the latest outfit Yanjun was presenting to him. “That looks horrible. Get changed again so we can go looking for a suit. Mom won’t like it if you aren’t dressed properly.”  
“Your mom loves me,” the forced model retorted, regardless of the statement, he could see how the older rolled his eyes, probably at his wasting time like this, before disappearing behind the curtains again, making the questioning gaze of the older lady in uniform next to him all the more obvious and he could only so much as nod his head before he stared at his tablet again already.  
It was yet another hour of trying on different outfits, only suits though, one after another from his beloved Italian brand, trying to find the perfect fit so, honestly, he couldn’t explain how he ended up with three different suits on his list while the tailor took the barista’s sizes for adjustments, but it had been way too difficult to decide on just one, not when that one color had contrasted that beautiful tan skin so perfectly, not when the pants of one had emphasized the shape of his boyfriend’s ass and thighs so much and with the-  
“Zhengzheng,” Yanjun reprimanded him, knowing smirk on his lips that only upset Zhengting to no extent, he growled lowly, as if it hadn’t been his own fault that he had had such naughty thoughts all over again, and turned on his heel to walk to counter, looking at the accessories quickly to decide on a pair of cufflinks and a tie pin on top.  
It was only so much of a distraction, because there was no way he wouldn’t pay attention to the familiar sound of approaching steps, turning his head to look at his boyfriend, a low threat of “I won’t treat you to dinner anymore” on his lips as he parallely signed the bill, could nearly feel the gaze of the other drifting to the horrendous sum printed onto the bottom of it, he didn’t even need to look it was there so he only released a sigh. “Don’t even think about protesting, dickhead. You need a suit and I don’t want to buy one every some weeks just because you were afraid of the price.”  
“Whether you buy them at once or in several waves-”  
He only needed to do as much as raise his fingers, blindly pressing it against that beloved pair of lips he enjoyed kissing so much, to cut off the protests from the one behind him, attentively listening to the staff lady explaining about how they would notify him about the finalization of the suits and one last fitting by sending a text message, that the alterations were free of charges based on his VIP status, something he only rewarded with a smile as he grabbed the bill from her, acknowledged with a quick, “Thank you.”  
It was a loving habit, the way their hands found their match immediately, fingers interlaced, once they had left the shop, Zhengting dragging the other around until they had reached the elevator, pressing the button for the uppermost floor that held one or another restaurant.  
“Knew you wouldn’t skip out on showing off by inviting me to dinner,” Yanjun hummed lowly behind him, lips pressing to his neck, the skin beneath, behind his ear, all over again, the dimpled smirk rather something he felt than saw, “But don’t you need to get back into office, boss?”  
“Shut up, dickhead,” he protested again, squeezing the hand holding his lightly as he felt his head loll aside, quite relieved currently that they were alone within the elevator or he’d have lots of explaining to do about this next. “Boss decides his own working times anyways. I’ll just pull an allnighter and have you serve me coffee in exchange.”  
“Sounds like a deal, dear,” was the muttered reply, stopped by the ringing of the elevator before the doors slid open, the content smile on his lover’s face evident by his voice, way unlike his own small one that he’d rather not show his boyfriend, that asshole was already cocky enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone having come this far deserves a medal and to follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/zhengjunist) or should feel entitled to send me a [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/dadting), thank you!  
> Congrats for coming down here!


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